Robin Tatler was elected to the leading role at last week’s meeting of the council.

He succeeds Alasdair Stewart, who died suddenly in June.

Mr Tatler said: “I wouldn’t have wanted to be chairman in these circumstances - our last chairman was taken from us far too soon.

“I do hope that I can do half as good a job as Alasdair did.” He read a thank you note from Mr Stewart’s widow Margot thanking the council for their flowers and support after her husband’s death.

Mr Tatler added: “I hope there will be a time soon when we will all be to properly recognise Alasdair’s great contribution to this community. I certainly have a few ideas already what we could do.” The community council’s vice chairman Crick Carleton said: “The election of our new chairman was going to be taken in private but it was suggested that this was a public event and should be done in public.” He revealed that one of the newer community council members, Graham Mackie, had suffered a heart attack but was on the mend and recuperating at home.

“Hopefully it’s sort of been fixed and he’ll be back in due course,” said Mr Carleton.